So after almost 5 years of scrimping and saving we are only 8 months away from leaving on our trip. We have started to prepare the house to be rented (ripped up the carpet and put down laminate flooring over the Christmas holidays), Santa brought the kids all travel packs for Christmas, and we made our first trip to the travel Doctor to start our immunizations. We each were jabbed twice for Hep. A and B. Tonight our friends Dawn and Mike Sparrow (and their 4 kids) are coming over for dinner to discuss trip plans. They are going on their own adventure at the same time we are. They are credited with opening our minds to travelling more of the world with our kids. Their trip is very similar to what we originally planned (with SEA playing a key role). We have been scared away from it due to the bird flu. We have decided instead to spend more time in South and Central America. We will both be starting our trips in Europe, however, and hope to hook up for some part of the first adventure!

Our adventure will actually start in a very tame way. I have accepted a summer job as a camp coordinator at Red Pine Camp near Eganville, ON. The whole family will live up at this wonderful family camp. We are all looking forward to that. (It will also be a little extra money to help fund our travels). Check out the camp's web site www.redpinecamp.org